Schedule of readings, assignments, and examinations
BUS 544
Spring 2002
The following schedule lists assigned readings for each class date as well as dates for
assignments and examinations. This is a tentative schedule of readings. I will do my best to
provide you advance notice of at least one week for any changes. The exam dates will not
change except for completely unavoidable circumstances. The reason for keeping the schedule
flexible is to allow for longer-than-anticipated discussion of planned topics, and for us to
address significant current developments in business.
• "Harvard reading" refers to the cases and readings available through XanEdu.com.
• All other articles listed are reserve readings available through library electronic reserves.
Week 1
April 1
April 3
Course introduction; form groups
Assignment #1 due (group; details provided in class)
• Read material on plagiarism (linked from course web site)
Week 2
April 8
(These readings address and the problem of investing in the future. Each has a different
perspective. What are the themes that emerge from these articles? Can they shed light on
why some firms are more successful than others?)
Florida, R., and Brody, D. 1991. "The Invention That Got Away." Technology Review.
Rosenberg, Nathan. 1995. "Why Technology Forecasts Often Fail." The Futurist.
Uttal, Bro. 1983. "The Lab That Ran Away From Xerox." Fortune.
April 10
Besanko, David, David Dranove, and Mark T. Shanley. 1996. "Industry Analysis." Book
chapter from The Economics of Strategy (note that this reading on electronic reserves is
broken into 2 files).
Week 3
April 15
(These are "classic" cases that develop the notion of competitive advantage. For both
cases, be prepared to discuss why these firms were more successful than others in their
industry. For Wal-Mart, be prepared to quantify their advantage).
Harvard reading: Timex Corporation (373-080)
Harvard reading: Wal-Mart Stores' Discount Operations (9-387-018)
April 17
Porter, Michael E. 1985. "The Value Chain and Competitive Advantage." Book chapter
from Competitive Advantage: Creating and Sustaining Superior Performance.
Week 4
April 22
Harvard reading: Sharp Corporation: Technology Strategy (9-793-064)
Harvard reading: Clark, Kim B. 1989. "What strategy can do for technology." Harvard
Business Review (reprint 89602).
April 24
Harvard reading: Prahalad, C.K., & Hamel, Gary. 1990. "The core competence of the
corporation." Harvard Business Review. Reprint 90311.
Grant, Robert M. 1997. Chapter 5: "Analyzing Resources and Capabilities." From
Contemporary Strategy Analysis: Concepts, Techniques, Applications.
Week 5
April 29
Harvard reading: "Using aggregate product planning to link strategy, innovation, and the
resource allocation process " (9-301-041)
Harvard reading: Bower, Joseph L., & Christensen, Clayton M. 1995. "Disruptive
technologies: Catching the wave." Harvard Business Review (95103).
May 1
Short class due to Leadership Speaker Series
Assignment #2 due (group; details provided in class)
Week 6
May 6
Harvard reading: Philips versus Matsushita: A new century, a new round (9-302-049)
Porter, Michael E. 1998. "Competing across locations: Enhancing competitive advantage
through a global strategy." Book chapter from On Competition.
May 8
Guest speaker
Harvard reading: Nucleon Inc. (9-692-041)
Assignment #3 due (individual; details provided in class)
Week 7
May 13
Dixit, Avinash K. and Robert S. Pindyck. 1995. "The Options Approach to Capital
Investment." Harvard Business Review.
Kogut, Bruce and Nalin Kulatilaka. 1994. "Options Thinking and Platform Investments:
Investing in Opportunity." California Management Review.
May 15
To be announced
Week 8
May 20
Hean Tat Keh and Elain Shieh. 2001. "Online Grocery Retailing: Success Factors and
Potential Pitfalls." Business Horizons.
Harvard reading: Porter, Michael E. 2001. "Strategy and the Internet." Harvard Business
Review. Reprint R0103D.
May 22
Examination
Week 9
May 27
University holiday: No class meeting
May 29
Group presentations
Week 10
June 3
June 5
Group presentations
Group presentations
Finals Week
June 10
Final examination or individual paper
Group project due